Follow up to Comcast@Home screwed up cable modem installation
Michael
before. Sick and tired of getting the run around telling me the
problem is on my end and having a tech come out and tell me its not I
downloaded a program that can be used to query the modem itself as to
its status (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/docsdiag/
though any MIB browser will work).
Anyway from running that program I've determined that my modem has
completed the ranging step and has transmitted a "DHCP discover"
message to the CMCT. The modem never receives a response.
Talking to Comcast and having them come out a few times I've
illiminated the following problems (assuming Comcast didn't screw up
their diagnostics):
1. Not a wiring problem
2. Not a provisioning problem
3. Not a DHCP server setup problem
4. Most likely not a signal strength problem as my next door
neighbor's modem works.
Potential problems:
1. Modem itself is damaged, though this seems unlikely as it used to
work at my old locationa and from all outward (and some inward)
appearances it appears to be working correctly.
2. Signal strength - this too is very unlikely as the recorded
strengths are well within the range of the modem.
3. Comcast screw-up - this seems to be the most likely problem since
from polling a few SNMP MIB's in my modem I've determined that the
modem is awaiting a response to a "DHCP discover" transmition, which
it never receives.
And just in case your interested in what's been happening (it makes
interesting reading):
9/15 - I notice a few Comcast trucks outside and talk to them. It
appears they are here to fix the signal problems I reported on 9/12.
They determine there is a problem and leave. TV signal is still
crappy.
9/16-9/19 afternoon I'm out of town.
9/19 - I get back home and see the TV signal is fixed. I check on the
modem and still see the 3 flashing lights. I called Comcast, got the
usual run-around and was told I need a technician to come out. At
this point I've decided the only way to talk to the right people is to
have a tech come out so I try to schedule one. I'm told the database
is down and one can't be scheduled and to call back tomorrow.
9/20 - I called Comcast and tell them that I was told I need a tech to
come out. They ask me the serial number off the back of my modem. I'm
at work so I don't know offhand. They say that there is no record I
spoke to them on 9/16 so they can't send someone out until I get the
necessary info. I ask to speak to a local office and they forward me
to the "local" office in Delaware (I'm in NJ).
The person in Delaware seems a bit more knowledgable (I get the number
for the Delaware office from him so I won't have to deal with Buffalo,
NY anymore). He agrees to schedule a tech to come out. I schedule it
for Saturday 9/22 as that's the best day for me.
9/21 - In preparation for the tech coming out tomorrow I read up on
everything I possibly can on how cablemodem's work and the DOCSIS
standard (I find the modem diagnostics program I mentioned above). I
determine at this point I know as much if not more than what the
support guys answering the phone know. I print this stuff out
(including my modem diagnostics) to show the tech tomorrow when he
shows up.
9/22 - The tech shows up 2 hours early which in itself is a shock. It
is the same one came out last time a tech came out. He looks at my
modem and my papers I printed and agrees with me that the problem is
not on this end as I've aquired an upstream and downstream channel to
talk over. He calls a "secret" number and talks to a Tier-1 support
guy. They say they can't do anything as the South NJ billing system
is being backed up and cannot be accessed. The Tech calls Tier-2
support who says I have a DHCP problem and he "fixes" my bootp file on
the DHCP he says I need to wait till 4PM and if still nothing to call
Tier-1 support. 4PM comes along and I call. The tech I talk to seems
somewhat knowledgable and he says he'll try to remove my modem from
the account and re-add it completely. This should fix any
provisioning or DHCP problems. He says wait an hour. I wait an hour
and call back. At this point they have no idea what is wrong and
suggest a tech guy comes out. I told them a tech guy was here this
morning, but they insist.
I ask to speak to a manager. He seems sympathetic, but tells me
that all the people who know how the system works are not there and
won't be until Monday. At this point I don't know what to do so I
allow them to schedule the tech for Wednesday and resolve to call back
on Monday when someone knowledgable is there.
So there were are. 23 days and still nothing.
NachoCheese
"Michael" <mjk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:fb240b82.01092...@posting.google.com...
> Well here it is, September 23rd and I'm no closer to being online than
> before. Sick and tired of getting the run around telling me the
> problem is on my end and having a tech come out and tell me its not I
> downloaded a program that can be used to query the modem itself as to
> its status (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/docsdiag/
> though any MIB browser will work).
>
<snip>
It's going to be the modem itself, OR the node that is connected to the
account is wrong. You said it worked at a previous location? I'm betting
it's the node. Have them check that on the account.
i...@comcast.at.hole.net
: "Michael" <mjk...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
: <snip>
You say your neighbor is up and working? Maybe you can get what node he is
using or barring that, tell the trained monkeys the neighbor's computer
name to see if you are set up the same.
Of course, knowing them, the end result may be that they make your
neighbor's connection stop working.
Win Joy
to your city government official who acts as the liason between the
Comcast and your city. check the website for your city to see if it
is listed. If not, call city hall...
That is what I had to do to get my install up and running, it turned
out there was a LOT of noise on the line thaqt inhibited the signal.
After getting the city involved, I had their best inside guy, and
their 2 best outside guys here for an entire day to get it running...
Key here is, good notes. I had a 3 page log e-mailed to the city, who
sent it to Comcast, who sent it up to the head of their internet
section...
I even got not one, but 2, calls from Comcast checking in seeing that
I was happy...
Good luck!
Michael
> from polling a few SNMP MIB's in my modem I've determined that the
> modem is awaiting a response to a "DHCP discover" transmition, which
> it never receives.
Well I came home on 9/25 and my modem was locked and working fine. I
called up to find out how they fixed it and they said they didn't do
anything. So apparently it was "magically" fixed. I find it strange
that if it was a wiring or modem problem it would fix itself all by
itself, especially since it's been broken for 24 days.
My guess is that they realized there was a configuration error and
finally fixed it and just told me they didn't do anything so it
wouldn't look like they were incompetent.
Well anyway I'm up an running now, but the speed is horrible.
I get about 50 Kbps download speed (300 Kbps upload) in the evening
and about 1100 Kbps down (1000 Kbps up) during the day. Compared with
about 125 Kbps down evenings and 5000 Kpbs daytime at my old location.
And they just raised my Cablemodem rate the reason being that they
just upgraded my area for *superior* service.
But what can you do when Comcast has a monopoly in my area (no
competition and no DSL)?
At least I'm online now (goodbye AOHell).
The day speeds aren't terrible but the evening speeds are horrendous.
That and I get about 250ms pings starting 4 hops from my cablemodem (a
router I must pass through to get anywhere on the internet).